Mission, Vision and Values

Unanimously approved by LIS faculty 16 December 2022

Background

As part of our regular reassessment of our LIS mission, vision and values statements, the 2022-23 version reflects multiple sources of community feedback:

  • December 2021: LIS student culture survey results suggested that community, collaboration, diversity are key values, and that there is some objection to using Hawaiian words to describe our values.
  • April 2022: An LIS Planning Summit consisting of professionals, employers and other alumni emphasized the importance of preserving Hawaiian words in our values statement, but that as a program we do a better job of living and practicing them.
  • May 2022: An LIS faculty meeting review of the UH strategic plan suggested possible connections with Aloha ‘āina and other Hawaiian words and values.
  • June 4, 2022 (HLA) and June 15, 2022 (Hoʻokele Naʻauao): Presentations at both conferences suggested that as a program, we deepen our understanding and practice of Hawaiian words/values, and the multiple uses, intentions and protocols of these words.

Mission

We educate leaders in the information professions. Through research, teaching and service, we contribute to knowledge, solve problems and prepare individuals to thrive in diverse information environments, with an emphasis on Hawaiʻi and the Asia-Pacific region.

Vision

Our ʻohana will be compassionate leaders in a world where information connects, supports and respects diverse populations.

Values

Our values guide our activities, priorities and interactions, and reflect those of the State of Hawaiʻi and University of Hawaiʻi. We honor and strive to continuously deepen our understanding and practice of the Native Hawaiian values embedded in the concepts of aloha, ʻohana and kuleana.

  • Aloha (fostering connections of regard and caring): Aloha is how we live. Aloha is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence.  Some of the ways we act on this value are by creating a cooperative, supportive environment with individual advising, and emphasizing relationship building, connections between people and place, diverse knowledge systems, through group work and professional service.
  • ʻOhana (family and chosen family): ʻOhana is who we are. We are a diverse community dedicated to connecting people with information, and we respect the right of all views to be represented. We encourage diversity in our curriculum through core, elective and special topics courses, degree specializations, dual and concurrent degree programs, and coursework outside LIS to support individualized programs of study. We are active members of a range of research, professional and local communities, and we are responsive to their needs. We undertake research projects and coursework that engage the local community, and we stay connected with our ʻohana through collaboration, outreach, internships and practicums, alumni and professional organizations and regular communications
  • Kuleana (responsibility and accountability): Kuleana is what we do. We embrace our responsibility to educate the next generation of compassionate leaders in the information professions, who will discover, embrace and practice their own kuleana to preserve and perpetuate access to diverse cultural materials and ideas, and inspire others to embrace libraries, archives, information services and lifelong learning. Resources are precious, and we are responsible to make sure ours are directed to where they can do the most good. We offer a continuously evolving curriculum, implement the results of assessment into the program, encourage advocacy and outreach, conduct and publish research, and hold our students and ourselves to the highest professional standards.

Program Goals

  • Nurture a professional LIS community where Native Hawaiian concepts and values support well-being and knowledge building among all members.
  • Faculty, students and staff collaborate to enhance the overall student experience by evolving a program that prepares students to thrive in the present and future workplace.
  • Broaden outreach and increase community engagement and advocacy in addressing community information needs and challenges.
  • Undertake, document and share research and creative activities with social impact.